A cat-rescuer has received support from the community after rescuing abandoned kittens in Wantage and being faced with hundreds of pounds in costs.

Kaelie Watts, who lives in a village near Lambourn, Berkshire, was getting her own cat vaccinated at the vets in Oxfordshire when someone came in with five abandoned kittens.

The woman who found them said they were huddled next to a pile of cat biscuit in a field near Lark Hill Track.

READ MORE: Cycle lane in Oxford a step closer after 10-year campaign

Long-term animal lover Mrs Watts, who has her own kitten, three cats, and a dog, decided to take the animals in.

She contacted a Basingstoke-based rescue charity that she had worked with in the past, who asked Mrs Watts to look after the kittens for a week while they found them a permanent home.

In the meantime, she had to get them a SNAP test, a £160 test which checks for feline diseases, as well as treat the kittens for conjunctivitis, ear infections, and cat flu.

After she fronted the medical expenses, the charity said it would not be able to help, and Mrs Watts would have to take full responsibility for the kittens.

“We decided we still would take the cats in, because we’ve got to, but it means we have to pay for vet bills, food, and litter,” she said.

“I was working with this charity for two years and was fostering for them, I always did my best, so I feel like I’ve been stabbed in the back.”

​READ MORE: Oxford: Price of a pint goes up in survey of city pubs

Friends suggested Mrs Watts set up a JustGiving page to help with the costs, and after a post on Facebook in a Wantage community group, her target of £100 was more than doubled.

Commenters also offered donations of cat food, beds, litter and more to help the rescuer, with others recommending charities and some even wanting to adopt them.

She said: “Having all this support, even just the kind messages, it means so much. It’s just amazing and I’m so grateful there are some nice people out there who do care as well."

Mrs Watts said the kittens are doing better now they’ve received treatment, and she’s waiting to find the right home to adopt them.

The JustGiving page is still open to donations: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kaelie-watts

Mrs Watts added: “The charities do want to help, but they’re limited on the space they have. People can help by rescuing cats, not buying them, getting them checked and neutered, and being more responsible pet owners.”

Help support trusted local news

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber you will get:            

  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website        

  • Advert-light access             

  • Reader rewards             

  • Full access to our app